Simple Christmas (Advent 2020)

Simple Christmas

“That is just so 6 BC,” Joseph must have thought when he found out there was no room in the inn, as his pregnant bride screamed in pain. Nothing had gone as planned that year. He was getting married, then he wasn’t, then an angel came and said he was going to have a son…but not exactly his son. And then, in the midst of all this, a painstaking trip to Jerusalem with his near-bursting wife. Now, he couldn’t even welcome his son into the world in the comforts of a building.
The year 2020 AD hasn’t exactly gone as planned either.
Often, it seems, the best God things happen when, like Mary and Joseph, the building we desire for refuge is closed. Maybe 2020 is really a manger kind of year. Let’s focus on what new dimensions of Advent and Christmas stand out to us, what new traditions form, and what mangers we have overlooked before.

Note: Because Zoom is not the best venue for preaching, extended pre-recorded sermon video/audio will be available for those who want to go deeper into the ideas and Scriptures for the week.

January 3, 2020 -- "An Examen for the New Year"

Each year, we take a service to look back at the year past to discern where God was moving in our lives, when we leaned into that and when we strayed...and where God might be leading us in the year ahead. You can learn more about the practice of the Examen here.

December 27, 2020 -- "A Very UCC Christmas"

This is a special service crafted by the United Church of Christ for congregations. There are participants from across the UCC sharing their own gifts and perspectives to guide us into a deeper experience of the Christmas story. This was our worship option for December 27, 2020. Please partake and be blessed!